Cape Cod Moms Local Mother's Day Gift Guide​By: Amy​Mother’s Day is approaching and it can be hard to find that perfect gift to give to mom. A few weeks ago we reached out to our moms and asked what they would love to receive for Mother’s Day. Since we love shopping local in order to support our community, all the gifts are can be purchased from local businesses on Cape Cod. Enjoy our list and if you stop in and purchase something from our list that local moms recommended be sure to tell them where you saw it!

Jewelry

Moms always appreciate a little something new and sparkly and we have just the suggestion. We are obsessed with some of the gorgeous new jewelry from Hannoush Jewelers of Cape Cod. The new custom Cape Cod Moments line designed by owner, Mustapha Akkawi is just stunning and one of the hottest gifts around right now. The line consists of necklaces and bracelets and the charms are interchangeable so you can wear whichever one you choose. There are a few new charms that were just realized including the Family Tree Charm and it is at the top of our list for Mother’s Day gifts.

If you are down in the lower Cape region, some moms also recommended stopping by Stephen Gallant Jewelers for some pieces that are sure to bring a smile to mom’s face.

Photos

Moms love photos and we especially love receiving photos from our kids and family. If you are looking to do a simple gift that will make mom happy, then we recommend taking a photo you love and framing it up for your mom!​If you haven’t had recent photos taken then photo sessions would be a great idea for mom. No one loves sharing and enjoying pictures of the family more than mom. When our local moms were asked they said they would love to receive a gift certificate to Fleeting Moments Photography, Danielle Ryder Photography, or Emily Renaud Photography.

​GiftsThere were lots of suggestions from the moms with some fun different types of gifts that mom would appreciate. One gift for mothers of new or young children would be a Tula or LilleBaby baby carrier from Mommy & Me Natural Parenting Boutique. Bonus tip: this business is a participating Cape Cod Moms ShopLocal Club business which means you can enjoy a discount when shopping here if you are a member.

Hair & Beauty​It can be hard to find time for mom to have a nice quiet hair cut, style or an beauty services done. That is why gift certificates to some of the places our moms suggested are sure to make mom smile! HAIR Affinity was recommended for their amazing beauty services and a Facial at Eden Day Spa, in Osterville was also highly recommended!

We hope you found our Mother’s Day Gift Guide helpful. All of the suggestions we listed came directly from what local moms stated they would love to get. We hope you enjoy Mother’s Day and we know no matter what you will find something to make mom smile!

A mom from Granger Community Church in Indiana performed during a service Mother's Day weekend in a tribute to all mom's, singing her own rendition of "Let It Go" from the popular Disney film, "Frozen." The parody video has gone viral with over 4 million views collectively between YouTube and Vimeo.

Our favorite line in her song was about 1:30 into the video which made us stop and think:

"It's funny how such chaos comes from people oh so small, yet the joy that overwhelms me, when they learn to kick a ball."

These words really help sum parenting up, it is a constant whirlwind of trying to do the best you can which is all made worth it when they learn something. Those are the moments we love, the moments where we know we have done something right.

By: Maurene Merritt, RNI direct Meghan's attention inside herself and give instructions to make the connection between her and her unborn baby. Meghan is due with her first baby at the end of October. She doesn't know if she is having aboy or girl, so she calls her baby "Candy Corn", coined by her older sister.

I love the name because it is another blending of the power inherent in 3 for me. The stripes of yellow, orange and white stack neatly together like that of family, season, and the festive time of Holiday. Of course, too I think of my own beloved daughter, Candyce. Although we never called her Candy, she was the sweet that first drew me inside.

To better connect with her baby, I suggest to Meghan that she recall the "special hearing pathway" that we revisit often that was created to help affirm the special connection that mothers have with their unborn babies. We then chant the sound "o-u-m" for 90 seconds, the time of one contraction during transition, considered to be for many women the most intense part of labor. I asked Meghan of her experience. She said, "I could easily imagine my baby, but not myself." The following week we engaged with the same exercise and Meghan described having a very different experience.

She said she imagined herself to be pure, white light, like how on an overcast day the light burst through a cluster of gray, thick clouds. It's important to mention that there was no discussion or mention of "light" prior to her experience. In other words, I did not cue her to imagine herself to be such a form. Meghan imagined this on her own, guided by threads of her breath, sound, and deep connection with unborn child. For many pregnant women, communicating with their unborn baby is ongoing, and is as natural and normal as the often contented, peaceful, endless days of the second trimester. At Birth Blessings Yoga we take this connection to another level by providing a framework that affirms and honors the power of our love to make this amazing, magical connection. The three pillars of our frame our intention, imagination, and attention. Together, they enliven 3 specific, highly concentrated, energetic areas of our subtle body known in yoga as Chakras.

It's the 6th Chakra called, Ajna that is located at the brow, in the middle of the head, in the same space that we imagine, that enables us to be a transmitter for telepathic communication. In scripture, it points to our ability to connect with our teacher or Guru for transformation which is really at the heart of our yoga practice. But it can be any extraordinary connection, and to me, there are few greater than that of a mother and her unborn child. Indeed, in my case, I believe it was in fact my absolute certainty that in pregnancy my baby heard every word of my gracious bubbling heart that a decade later helped me to connect with my Guru.

The 5th Chakra,Vishuddha is located at the throat and it is responsible for helping us to speak truth. Our speaking isn't necessarily verbalized but rather words infused with raw feeling that holds power to manifest. One of my favorite aphorisms that reflects this knowledge is from Patanjali, a great yogic expounder, when he said that, "words, meaning a feeling are interwoven. As words are eternal, so are meaning and feeling."

The 4th Chakra, Anahata is located at the heart. It's here that we begin to know the power of intention behind our ability to touch. Touching not in a physical sense, but rather touching what is elusive, the formless. It's a first for many of us, to be so enraptured with the invisible.

When we allow ourselves the full expression of how we are feeling about carrying a baby coupled with the power of affirmation, our awareness quite naturally will be drawn to lighter, more subtle forms of ourselves. Then we can more readily experience the full power of our connection. And who knows, it just may be the very impetus that keeps heaven's gates open to more experiences that our as sweet as Meghan's with her candy corn!

Mothers' Day.... I remember the first one I celebrated after just having found out that I was expecting my first child. It was so special even though he wasn't here yet. It was the first time I really realized the bond we had as he grew inside me.Mothers' Day.... I use the plural possessive in referring to this holiday, because it is is a day belonging to or commemorating all mothers, not just one. The legislation that officially names the holiday in the U.S., unfortunately uses the singular possessive as though the day belongs to only one mother, but it belongs to many mothers and many types of mothers. Throughout history people have celebrated Mothers' Day though the modern day Mothers' Day as we know it was not celebrated in the US until 1908 when it was created by Anne Jarvis (though Julia Howe first issued a proclamation asking for a Mothers' Day in 1870). President Wilson made it a national holiday beginning in 1914. Anne Jarvis became so disgusted with the commercialism of the holiday as the years went on that she actually became an opponent of the holiday and refused to celebrate the holiday again. Anne Jarvis does have a point in the fact that Mothers' Day has become a Hallmark holiday. Jarvis preferred a handwritten note or homemade gift to mom as opposed to buying items. However in the modern day, when moms and dads are so busy, the two parent working family has become more of the norm, and kids are so busy, it is hard to find time to sit down and craft or write a letter. It is my personal belief that you can do a happy mix of both and in our house we do. We made handprint cards and went out to eat for brunch at one of my fave brunch places: The Flying Bridge in Falmouth. But there is nothing wrong with buying a card or a gift for your mother especially since there are so many crafty and creative Mom owned businesses out there who know exactly what moms want.

Here are some really nice Mothers' Day items that I have found at local Cape Cod mostly Mom Owned businesses. Support these local places and local Cape Cod moms!

These unique and gorgeous cards to the right are sure to please any mom. I love the attention to the detail and the color schemes. The one with the lotus flowers and rose are my favorites though, I am a sucker for flowers. I found these cards at The Pink Polka Dot on Queen's Buyway in Falmouth.

I also found that they do custom gift baskets for a variety of occasions! This would be a great gift for any expecting moms!

This delicious looking bouquet I found at Cape Cod Lollicakes in Windmill Square, Marstons Mills. They have a range of flavors to pick from from the simple chocolate and vanilla to red velvet, carrot, lemon, and coconut. Dads, are you paying attention????? If you are brave, you can try to make these at home too with your little ones. Check out this Cape Cod Times news article complete with a how-to: Making Lollicakes

The Blooming Arts is taking place at the Cape Cod Cultural Centre where there will be some incredible floral creations from celebrated designers, each one paired with a painting by a Cape Cod artist. Lovely gifts, and all this is FREE! The exhibition runs May 12-13. Another flower related idea located on Martha's Vineyard is instead of giving Mom a bouquet of flowers give her a whole Arboretum! Individual membership to Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury is just $35/yr and offers free admission, discounts at PHA and at participating local garden centers, free PHA seeds & admission to selected programs and more.

Another fun idea is to take a ride on the Cape Cod Railway and have Mothers' Day Brunch! You can enjoy a 2 hour + train ride while enjoying an omelette and fruit. The kids will love this as they enjoy the scenery and see what it is like to be on a train!

Cape Cod Mommies Advisor, Pamela Wills is offering a special for Mother's Day on her session of: YOUR Self and YOUR Truth! Check out her coupon here: Mother's Day Coupon

One last gift I came across, a vanity! Isn't it gorgeous! I think a vanity is so beautiful and such a unique part of history. This one was made by Modern Vintage Studio in Sandwich, who is opening for business onThursday! They have a ton of great home items!

Wishing all the Cape Cod Moms out there, across the spectrum, a very happy and enjoyable Mothers' Day! I hope it is a day of peace, reflection and love no matter how you celebrate or choose to spend your day.